President Obama and his re-election campaign manager Jim Messina will appear together Wednesday at an annual Senate Democrats retreat to be held at Nationals Park , campaign and Hill aides tell ABC News.

Both men are expected to address the meeting, which typically focuses on developing a policy agenda and political strategy for the coming election campaign. The event is closed to the public and the press.

"This is a much more informal atmosphere. This is not a speech per se, it's a conversation with the president, one of our former colleagues, and we're all looking forward to it," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told reporters.

The joint appearance on Capitol Hill is apparently a first this election cycle for Obama and Messina, a former Hill staffer and deputy White House chief of staff.

It also follows Messina's announcement Monday night that the campaign would change course and encourage support for a pro-Obama super PAC, Priorities USA Action. Aides said Tuesday that Obama "signed off" on the decision.